Department of Veterans Affairs January 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a previously approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

VA is rescinding an outdated system of records titled, ``Veteran, Employee and Citizen Health Care Facility Investigation RecordsVA'' (32VA10Q). This system was used to conduct statistical studies and analyses which supported the formulation of departmental policies and plans by identifying the total current health care usage of the VA patient population. The records and information were also used by VA for audit and evaluation of department programs, determinations of eligibility for benefits, and to conduct research. The system was discontinued on September 30, 2002.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking nominations of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses (RACGWVI) (hereinafter in this section referred to as ``the Committee'').

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed revision of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its educational assistance regulations by eliminating the four 85/15 rule calculation exemptions for students in receipt of certain types of institutional aid. Currently, VA regulations provide exceptions that allow certain categories of students to be considered ``non-supported'' for purposes of the 85/15 rule notwithstanding their receipt of institutional aid. In this final rule, VA is eliminating these exceptions, thus clarifying the types of scholarships that educational institutions must include in their calculations of ``supported'' students. Also, VA is revising the criteria that shall be considered by the Director of Education Service when granting an 85/15 rule compliance waiver. Lastly, VA is amending the timeline for certain educational institutions' submission of 85/15 compliance reports.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is preparing a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) in accordance with the regulations implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations, and VA's NEPA Implementing Regulations.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its regulations to adjust for inflation the amount of civil monetary penalties that are within VA's jurisdiction. These adjustments comply with the requirement in the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, to make annual adjustments to the penalties.

On November 13, 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule in the Federal Register to amend its medical regulations to establish a new pilot program on graduate medical education and residency, as required by section 403 of the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Network Act of 2018. This correction adds the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number for the associated information collections.

As required by the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is hereby giving notice of adjustments in certain benefit rates. These adjustments affect the compensation program.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that the Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden and it includes the actual data collection instrument.